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If you or your bed partner are heavier, you know it can be hard to find a mattress that’s comfortable , as well as long-lasting. Larger bodies need more support, so finding an option that's supportive, firm, and thick is recommended, says certified sleep researcher Susan Miller, RPSGT. The quality of the materials matters, too: “Look for durable materials and construction that can withstand heavier weight over time,” Miller suggests.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of the best mattresses for heavy people for a variety of situations—from the best hybrid mattresses to the best mattresses for back pain—and at a range of price points.
This mattress is designed to offer extra support for heavier people. There are two versions available: The Titan Plus and the Titan Plus Luxe, which is two inches taller. Both options offer high-quality foam layers that provide lasting firmness, without sacrificing breathability, plus a top layer of gel-infused foam to help keep you cool without the need for cooling sheets. Quality is the watchword when it comes to this bed’s coils, which are made from 100% steel and,along with the foam, help reduce motion transfer (i.e., your awareness of movement, like your partner rolling over or your pet jumping on the bed). This bed is firm and supportive, although lighter weight people will likely feel it’s overly firm. As a bonus, it’s easy to unpack and set up.
This firm, supportive mattress is a great option for larger bodies, particularly for individuals who sleep on their stomach or side. If your bed partner has a smaller-sized body, though, they may find it overly firm.
This mattress is specifically designed for plus-sized and tall sleepers, and it shows. The company has identified common problems many bigger people experience—such as sinking into the bed and sleeping quite hot—and designed the bed to alleviate these issues. The hybrid mattress has foam layers (to avoid that sinking feeling), as well as steel coil support. The Tencel cover is highly breathable (and an upgrade cover option that wicks heat away from your body is available), and the mattress is Greenguard Gold and CertiPUR-US Certified, so it’s free from harmful chemicals. That said, some users note that there was a strong odor after unboxing this bed (which made our list of the best mattresses in a box) that took a while to dissipate. While this mattress is comfortable for most sleep positions (stomach, back, and side) people who are combination sleepers, frequently shifting positions, may want to look elsewhere since you can get a stuck feeling, making it hard to adjust. This mattress supports up to 1,000 pounds (or 500 pounds for an individual).
This mattress comes with a generous warranty and is designed to meet the needs of heavy people, offering plenty of support and a medium-firm experience. But watch for the edge support, which many find lacking.
Another competitively priced mattress, this pick from Brooklyn Bedding is made using breathable fabrics and very dense foams to offer support without making you sweaty. An optional GlacioTex™ Cooling Cover is available for an additional price, for extra coolness. And if you’re looking for firmness, this is it—in fact, Brooklyn Bedding describes it as a 10 on the firmness scale. But, if it’s too much, you can flip it over to get medium-firmness. Be warned, some users complain that it lacks edge support. And if you or your bed partner weigh over 300 pounds, the manufacturer recommends opting for the Titan mattress (another option on this list).
If you want a firm mattress, this is the choice for you. That said, it’s not ideal for people who are over 300 pounds, and may lack edge support.
Getting a mattress for side sleepers can be challenging. Although it’s a common sleep position, the wrong bed can lead to pain in the shoulder and hips, so you’ll need a Goldilocks-type mattress that is neither too soft nor too firm to get the necessary support sans pressure. But the Nolah Evolution delivers, with its responsive coils providing support where you need it (your hips and shoulders). While it’s available in several firmness levels, if you have a bigger body, you’ll want to opt for the firmest option. It’s also worth noting that this bed offers great edge support.
Get what you need as a side sleeper with the Nolah Evolution, which offers targeted support, alongside the firmness needed if you have a bigger body. But note that there’s a fee to take advantage of the warranty and trial period.
Read the full Nolah Evolution 15" Mattress Review >>>
This mattress offers the ability to choose your firmness level (opting to go with soft, medium or firm), making it ideal for larger people with back pain: Since there are so many potential causes of back pain, there’s no one-size-fits-all firmness level for everyone, and you may need a softer or firmer mattress, depending on your unique situation. It’s also a breathable mattress, which makes it good for hot sleepers, and has a zoned coil system to provide support where you need it. This mattress is a good fit for all sleeping positions, but may not offer the support needed for heavier stomach sleepers. Being 14 inches thick, it offers plenty of support, but for shorter people, this height can make it harder to get in and out of bed. That said, it has great edge support and reasonable motion isolation.
This mattress isn’t the cheapest option on the list, but it’s quite comfortable for most sleepers and offers plenty of support for those whose backs really need it, as well as the ability to choose your firmness level.
You’ll notice that many picks on this list are hybrid mattresses, and that’s no mistake: This type of mattress offers “both support and comfort,” says Miller. Leesa’s Plus Hybrid is engineered to support two people up to 500 pounds each, with a combination of supportive springs and plush foams that contour to your body, rather than sinking under it. Its gel-infused memory foam layer also helps with heat dissipation, making it a good choice for people who tend to run hot. As well as being GreenGuard Gold certified (meaning it’s guaranteed to have a safely low level of chemical emissions), it’s been endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association.
A best-of-both-worlds hybrid mattress, offering the comfort of foam and the supportiveness of coils.
This budget-friendly mattress clocks in at around $1,000 (before any sales or discount offers) and offers a lot. It comes, for instance, with a quilted cover that helps keep the mattress cool (although some users note that it still sleeps a bit hot). As with many of the mattresses on this list, it includes both steel coils (for support) and CertiPUR-US Certified memory foam. It also has an incredibly lengthy trial period—a full year—along with an unlimited warranty and free returns, making it clear that the manufacturer stands behind this product (since it’s so easy to return it). This mattress is compatible with just about every sleeping position, and according to a survey of users that was done by the company, it can be helpful with back pain. It offers good edge support and does a nice job at isolating motion.
This well-priced mattress offers a lot of features, including a generous trial period and warranty, and solid construction from durable materials. It seems to particularly help people with back pain, but note that some users find it sleeps a bit hot.
Avocado has made a name for itself when it comes to organic materials. The latex is organic and GOLS-certified, as are the wool and cotton. It’s made without any polyurethane foams, chemical flame retardants, synthetic fire socks or fiberglass. It’s also Greenguard Gold Certified for low emissions. (The Avocado Green Mattress also made our list of the best organic mattresses.) Comfort-wise, it holds up—it’ll keep you reasonably cool thanks to being made with wool, which offers natural temperature support, and it offers good edge support. It’s most ideal for heavier back sleepers, since side and stomach sleepers may find it’s too firm or too soft, respectively. Note that while shipping is free, there is a $99 fee for returns.
This is the go-to mattress for heavier people who care about the materials used in their mattress. While this is a comfortable fit for most bigger bodies, note that it might not be the right choice for side and stomach sleepers.
The WinkBed Plus is designed for people who weigh 250 pounds or more. The manufacturer touts its durability, as well as anti-sag foam layers, latex support, and individually wrapped coils that are designed to support heavy weights. It has a cooling Tencel cover that absorbs moisture, a quilted pillow-top made with gel-infused Hypersoft Foam that doesn’t retain heat, along with coils that increase airflow (so that heat can go away from your body). This mattress is also ideal for stomach and back sleepers. Side sleepers may find it too firm, which is also the case for people in smaller bodies (although a mattress topper may help alleviate this). Turn to this mattress for excellent edge support and good motion isolation.
This mattress is thoughtfully designed to keep you cool while you sleep, offering an overall luxurious experience without the sticker price to match.
Saatva is known for offering a luxurious mattress, and this HD (aka heavy duty) one is no exception. This mattress uses open coils, latex, and a breathable cover to help you sleep cool. The natural latex used in this option is durable and “offers good support without the sinking feeling,” says Miller. It also comes with pressure-point relief and lumbar support, so you can feel confident that the comfort doesn’t come at the expense of the support your body needs.
This high-end option doesn’t come cheap, but it offers a lot, including durable materials, a generous trial period and warranty, and lots of support.
This foam mattress has a swanky cashmere cover, along with a gel memory-foam layer aimed at pressure relief. The foam is made using CertiPUR-US Certified materials. The mattress also has innerspring coals and is quite thick, at 14 inches. A generous trial period and warranty make it easy to commit to this mattress,and while you might feel it when your partner fully exits the bed, the motion transfer is good enough that you won’t feel smaller movements, making this a great option for couples. The very high weight capacity (1,000 pounds, or 500 on each side) also means it’s a good pick for couples where both partners have bigger bodies.
This mattress has a high weight capacity and pretty good motion transfer, making it a nice pick for couples. Plus, it’s designed to help hot sleepers stay cool.
For ample support, look for reinforced steel coils. Miller recommends looking for mattresses made with durable materials, too: “High-density foam or coils are good options,” she notes.
A bigger body needs a firmer mattress for support, so stay away from mattresses that tout their softness, in favor of firmer options.
Look for a mattress with some thickness to it, Miller recommends. “A thicker mattress tends to distribute weight more effectively and can provide better support for larger individuals,” she says, recommending a mattress that’s 12 inches thick or more.
You’ll want a mattress with strong edge support, which Miller says is, “important for larger individuals to prevent sagging or a ‘roll-off’ feeling when sitting or sleeping near the edge.” She adds that you’ll also want to look for good motion isolation, which will help you not notice when a bed partner moves positions or gets up to use the restroom in the middle of the night.
To select these mattresses, I reached out to Susan Miller, certified sleep researcher (RPSGT) for insights into the mattress qualities that are most important for heavy people. I kept these key considerations in mind when looking at mattresses from top brands, and also factored in what people who’d purchased mattresses said in their reviews.
In general, heavy people tend to benefit from a firmer mattress. “Medium-firm to firm mattresses often work well for larger bodies as they offer the necessary support,” confirms Miller. With this level of firmness, you won’t be swallowed up by the bed.
Just as “more firm” is generally the right option for people with bigger bodies, so too is more thickness. “A thicker mattress tends to distribute weight more effectively and can provide better support for larger individuals,” says Miller. She suggests looking for a mattress that’s at least 12 inches in thickness.
All mattresses are available in a wide range of prices. Cost will vary by brand and material—for instance, a latex mattress made with natural materials will be pricier than a certified memory-foam one, according to Miller. While saving your wallet is always a wise choice, think long term and opt for higher quality materials. “Skip the cheaper mattresses and look for durable materials and construction that can withstand heavier weight over time,” reiterates Miller. For more information, check our article on the best places to buy a mattress.
Yes, all mattresses have a weight limit. Miller notes that this, “can vary depending on the type and construction of the mattress,” explaining that latex options tend to have the highest weight limit, while memory foam ones have the lowest. Innerspring mattresses sit somewhere in between in terms of their weight capacity. Always check the weight capacity prior to purchase to make sure it’ll accommodate you and your bed partner’s weight.
Go for a mattress that’s firm, thick, and supportive. Innerspring and hybrid mattresses are both good options for people who are overweight or obese, but Miller says the most important consideration is the quality of the materials used in the mattress. “Look for high-quality coils and support materials, or [mattresses] tend to lose comfort in a few years,” she says.
Firm is definitely the best option for people who are overweight.
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